Emplify Health has transitioned its first 12 patients to supportive housing and care through its partnership with Homecare Hub, marking a major milestone in efforts to address a critical gap in care that can occur once patients leave the hospital. The partnership, announced in 2025, involves a model called Transitional Placement Services (TPS), which was concepted within Emplify Health's innovation investment team, Edge, and targets patients with complex needs who face barriers to hospital discharge.
The TPS model provides an intermediate option for patients who require ongoing therapy, monitoring, or specialized medical equipment but are not ready to return home or transition to a long-term care facility. Homecare Hub's technology platform streamlines care coordination by connecting patients with a network of vetted small-care homes and wraparound support services. The initial site in Tomah, Wisconsin, run by Blackberry Hill, has already surpassed its one-month milestones in the first week, with only one readmission among the complex patient population—a rate well below the national average.
Emplify Health CEO Scott Rathgaber, MD, emphasized the importance of the partnership in addressing the 'silver tsunami'—the aging of the baby boom generation—which has created a surge in older adults requiring healthcare services. The TPS model reduces the burden on hospital staff by improving discharge efficiency, freeing up beds for acute care patients, and preventing hundreds of hours in avoidable patient days. Homecare Hub CEO Vipan Nikore, MD, noted that the solution benefits patients, health systems, providers, and payers alike.
Emplify Health plans to expand the TPS model to other regions, including Green Bay, Wisconsin, which would be the first site in the Northeast Region of the state. The partnership builds on Homecare Hub's success with the Froedtert ThedaCare Health System in Milwaukee and a nationwide SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health to research outcomes of small homes. By leveraging Homecare Hub's network of nearly 100 small homes across multiple regions, the partnership aims to provide the right care in the right setting at the right time, ultimately improving patient experiences and reducing financial losses for hospitals.
